Rs 235.26-bn shortfall for MHA; may hamper operations, says Parl panel

The allocation under the demand for the police was 23% lower than the amount projected by the ministry

A parliamentary panel has observed that there was a shortfall of nearly Rs 235.26 billion in the demands for grants of the home ministry in 2017-18 and it might "severely hamper" the operations of the security forces.

The parliamentary standing committee on home affairs, headed by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, said that it has noted a nominal increase of 5.24 per cent in allocation under the demand for grants of the home ministry and 6.43 per cent in allocation under the demand for the police as compared to the allocation made in revised estimate 2016-17.

In its 206-page report submitted to Parliament today, the committee felt that this nominal increase may not be even sufficient to offset the impact of higher wages due to the Seventh Central Pay Commission's recommendations and higher costs due to normal inflationary pressures.

Moreover, the allocation under the demand for the police was 23 per cent lower than the amount projected by the ministry, it said.

"The committee feels that this shortfall of nearly Rs 235.26 billion may severely hamper the operations of the security forces and impede the operations of police and border infrastructure in the country," the report said.

The committee recommended that the home ministry, in view of the imminent necessity of strengthening the border and internal security of the country, should pursue the finance ministry for higher allocation at the revised estimate stage.